[Lahore: April 27 2013] The sixth PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week officially commenced yesterday
marking the fourth consistent year of the prêt a porter platform. In keeping with the objective of
furthering fashion retail and synergizing high end design, textile manufacturers and buyers, fashion
week includes ramp shows by leading retail labels as well as textile houses along with a fully
functional, state of the art exhibition area. Day-1 marked the first day of the afternoon Voile Shows
with eight designer prét-a-porter shows later in the evening.
The success of PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week has prompted private sector associates to use the
platform to launch new products, marketing campaigns and promotional activities. On Day 1 of the
PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week, title sponsors Sunsilk unveiled an exclusively designed collectible
shampoo bottle in collaboration with fashion designer Maria B., in addition to facilitating the red
carpet, green room and backstage areas at the event. Leading skincare brand Pond’s invigorated
the red carpet with its Reveal Lounge which displayed a collection piece each from designers who
will be showcasing their collections on Day-2 of PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week. Associate sponsors
ZONG hosted the media lounge. In addition to being a beverage partner, Diet Pepsi also facilitated
the live video streaming of the event worldwide. Popular food brand Magnum operated a custom-
made “Magnum Bar”. PFDC’s official bank, Bank Alfalah, hosted a custom-designed VIP lounge
with Dunhill hosting a lounge of their own at the Fashion Week. All these activities will continue to be
available for the remaining days of PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week. With Nokia and Daraz.pk as the
associate sponsors, all these unique activities are first-time endeavours undertaken at PFDC Sunsilk
Fashion Week and are demonstrative of the growing acclaim the platform has attained. Further,
Day-1 of PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2013 was styled by the creative team at NABILA.
Voile Shows
The Voile Show segment of PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2013 was opened by ChenOne who
presented their ‘Pareesa Lawn Collection 2013’. Designed by acclaimed fashion designer Sahar
Atif, the collection was the brand’s contemporary take on the classic summer fabric and featured
an ethnic line of prints employing sub-continental embroideries and motifs. Designer Sahar Atif has
endeavoured to keep the collection in harmony with international fashion trends by utilising graphic
prints in black and white, with splashes of colour to add a dramatic flair to the outfits.
The next show was by designer textile brand, Kayseria, who showcased their Summer II collection
for 2013, “Kayseria’s Summer Journey II”. Indeed, Kayseria’s Summer Journey II collection
comprised of colour palettes of bright, electric and alive, based in Neons. Using special dyes on
stretchable jacquard, the international neon trend had been craftily adapted by Kayseria to suit
the Pakistani climate. Giving patrons the freedom to style their prints to their individual taste, the
Kayseria Summery Journey II collection committed to take audiences from boring to fun with the
magic of neon.
The final Voile show of the day was presented by Sitara Textile who showcased their womenswear
collection which included their lines Sitara Mughal-e-Azam Brosha Lawn, Sitara Swiss Heartbeat,
Sitara Universal Lawn, Sitara Sapna Lawn and Sitara Cotton Queen. The Lawn Collection of Sitara
Textile also included floral designs, pastel designs, and bright bold hues on fine quality fabrics.
Sitara textiles firmly believes that by keeping their customer’s tastes and preferences in mind while
crafting their design wear, they can provide a unique fashion experience which will enrich their
consumer’s esteem and self-worth.
Designer Showcases
Act 1
Tapu Javeri
PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Weel 2013’s Prèt Show on Day-1 was opened by acclaimed photographer
turned designer, Tapu Javeri who presented his Spring/Summer line of prints, bags and scarfs
tilted ‘Tapulicious’. The collection drew inspiration from the architecture of the Karachi city of old. In
this collection, Tapu channeled the concept of wearable art, a notion he first explored with his 2011
exhibition called KaraChakra, where he exhibited manipulated images of Pakistan creating chakras,
akin to the kaleidoscopic prints of a Shamiana, onto bags and scarves. Indeed, this Tapulicious
collection is an evolution of that same idea, taking photographic images and manipulating them
into wearable art in the form of prints on bags, clothes and scarves. The show featured four
distinct print capsule collections, with each having its own identity as interpreted by four different
fashion designers. The four names along with their corresponding Silk print collections are; Sadaf
Malaterre – classic KaraChakra Scarf prints; Adnan Padesey – Monochromatic Pixelated Karachi
prints; Wardha Saleem – Sepia Buildings with Gun & Roses prints and Rizwan Beyg – Twisted
KaraChakra. Tapu used shocking, monochromatic and sepia colors on printed silks for this collection
incorporating key trends such as silk prints, matching scarves and bags while highlighting his
signature Tapulicious jewellery.
Misha Lakhani
Following Tapu’s presentation, Misha Lakhani presented her collection titled ‘Configurations’
– a collection which embraced women feeling feminine and having fun with prints, colours and
fluidity. Configurations experimented with the sensual drape of the sari and Mughal era geometric
configurations derived from domed ceilings with repeated blossoms set within cutwork, applique,
digital textile printing and couture accents of embroidery that all come together to create a collection
that is local yet global all at once. The collection showcased detailed craftsmanship and texture and
included expected trends such as saris draped onto dresses, drapery, languid shapes, drop waists,
cutwork and versatile separates. Based in fabrics such as crushed silk, chiffon georgette, crepe,
karandi, net, jamavar and shamose satin, the color palette ranged from citronelle green, olive and
teal to ivory, cranberry and red.
FnkAsia
Design label FnkAsia presented the third prét show of the day, with their “East of Bengal” collection
inspired by the lush rainforests, tree plantations and ancient culture of Bengal. The central silhouette
of the collection was the sari, which had been reconstructed to make it look less tribal and more
like a modern garment. A lot of silk, draped in layers, was used in diverse weaves to retain sheen,
essential for a luxe feel. The collection also had splashes of intense prints blending into the bright
palette. Embroideries and beaded embellishment, a symbol of the FnkAsia signature, had been
emphasized within blouses and bustiers. The colours used for the collection were inspired by the
Bengali forest’s foliage and wild life; the palette blended shades of sap green and rainwater blue
towards murjaan (coral) and sindhoori laal (vermillion) that represented the early morning, blazing
sun. A touch of white also shone through with the luminescent fresh water pearl – moti – symbolic of
the rivers winding through. Film actress and model Humaima Malick walked the ramp as FnkAsia’s
showstopper.
Elan
The final show of Act 1 was presented by acclaimed design house Élan who showcased their
collection named after Keats’ poem, ‘Ode to a Nightingale’. Inspired by the poem in both the literal
and figurative sense, the collection was an artistic expression of transcending the human condition
of despair and monotony and feeling at one with the nightingale in its blissful state of freedom and
happiness. For Ode to a Nightingale designer Khadijah Shah re-created a series of Chinoiserie-style
prints, featuring different natural elements such as birds, flowers, fish, trees and the quintessential
full moon with the songbird featuring as a major recurring theme in many of the prints. The colour
palette was subtle and dusky – featuring sunset hues, watery blues, pale leafy greens and the
pitch dark black of the night to bring them all together. Élan worked iridescent fabrics into a holistic,
uniquely constructed collection – from lightly draped asymmetric dresses to softly structured skirts,
intricately crafted pleated jumpsuits, sensual body grazing wrap dresses, bubbled hemlines, kimono
styled jackets, cigarette pants and billowy tops with beading, silk threadwork and filigreed cut-work
as the central focus of the embellished detail. For this collection, Khadijah also used atypical studs,
flattened alloy disks and bulbous metal forms to create dramatic accents for cuffs, shoulder patches
and belts along with cutwork, appliquéd net and thread filigrees and intricate silk thread embroidery
for the more elaborate pieces. Fashion Editors Meher Tareen and Samina Khan walked the ramp as
Elan’s showstopper.
Act 2
Sublime by Sara
Act 2 was opened by Sublime by Sara who presented her collection titled ‘NOW, Summer Sublime
2013’, inspired by designer Sara Shahid’s belief in the importance of living for the here and now – a
desire to live for the moment. With ‘NOW! Summer Sublime 2013’ the designer invited audiences
to step into a world of bright and bold colours, showcasing a heady mix and balance of femininity
and funk, the loud with the soft and the neons with the neutrals. Trends included in this collection
ranged from neon references, stud embellishments, floral and striped prints to cropped jackets and
pants. A brand minimalist by nature, Sara Shahid’s structural emphasis for ‘NOW! Summer Sublime
2013’ remained on tailored cuts and drape, resting on the brands ethos of the power of understated
glamour.
Akif Mahmood
The second show of Act 2 was presented by Akif Mahmood who schowcased his Spring/Summer
2013 womenswear collection titled ‘Montage’. Inspired from the art form of collage, Akif’s concept
behind this collection was to fuse various prints, textures and embroideries to create a composition
in the form of a garment. Akif has mixed colors, motifs and different patterns together for this
collection across fabrics such as pure cottons with textured embroideries. The collection was based
in a lot of flair and volume, and featured silhouettes that varied in length with long and short dresses
with flowy skirts and coats. Using thread embroideries, appliqués and patchwork embroideries, the
colour palette used in the collection ranged from orange and hot pink with black and whites.
Sania Maskatiya
Following Akif’s presentation was renowned designer Sania Maskatiya’s ‘Ahgaaz’ Resort 2013
collection, inspired by the craft and motifs of 19th century Persian, Middle Eastern, Hispanic and
Italian Renaissance ceramics and tiles. Blending powerful images of dragons, serpents and birds
with bold geometrics and floral’s into the warmth of rich hues and calm pastels, entering a garden of
dreams and perilous new beginnings. Using a variety of fabrics such as raw silks, crepes, chiffons
and shamoses, embroidered and digitally printed fabrics and screen prints with contemporary
structured silhouettes, the collection sought to excite your senses as you entered the garden of new
beginnings. Musician Kiran Chaudhry walked the ramp as Sania Maskatiya’s show stopper.
Maria B.
Day 1’s finale was presented by acclaimed couturier Maria B who presented her Spring/Summer
2013 collection for PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week titled ‘The Sunshine Collection’ inspired by
happiness, joy, innocence and youth. The colour palette featured bright candy colours in hues of
corals, pinks, tangerine with hints of aqua marine and lemon yellows which had been used to come
out with a clean silhouette combined with flattering volumes. The emphasis was on bold prints and
asymmetric, modern patterns that formed the soul of the collection had been designed using pure
cottons, Khaddars and hand printed silks and hints of embellishments and high – impact wearable
accessories.
The show is being produced and choreographed by HSY Events, with front stage management by
Maheen Kardar Ali, backstage management by Maria Baig, logistics and operations by Eleventh
Retail, digital support by Maria Butt and B Solutions and photography by Faisal Farooqui and
the team at Dragonfly. Foreign media management is being handled by Latitude, national PR by
Lotus Client Management & Public Relations, with Sara Shahid of Sublime by Sara as the official
spokesperson for the PFDC.
PHOTOGRAPHER FAISAL FAROOQUI AND HIS TEAM AT DRAGONFLY
Click Here To See All Pictures – Day 1
